Senate GOP health care plan draws warnings from Colorado health care experts
The bill, which
"The cuts are really on the backs of individuals with disabilities," said
Protesters rallied outside Republican Sen.
Their concerns stemmed from the
The
But the proposal also places more stringent spending caps on the program -- leaving states with far less money to cover Medicaid patients who have relied on that program for decades.
As a result,
The
The cuts could force
"Public policy is taking a huge leap back," Yeager said. "And for people with disabilities, it means we're going back to the institutions."
"With these cuts, it could lead me into a having to go to a nursing home if there was placement (beds) available -- and that's not even a guarantee," Labelle said.
Pam Bargoa leaned on a cane while criticizing the
"It's because of Medicaid that I'm healthy enough to walk down here," Bargoa said.
Medicaid also provides money to help disabled workers get transportation to their jobs. And its expansion under the Affordable Care Act helped end the yearslong wait that people with disabilities faced in signing up for the program.
Gardner -- despite being one of the 13
"This is the first I've viewed the legislation so I am beginning to carefully review it as we continue to look at ways to rescue
"It's frustrating that instead of actually reviewing the legislative text, some have decided to immediately oppose the bill before it was even introduced," Gardner added. "This deserves serious debate, not knee-jerk reaction."
Gardner was unavailable Thursday morning for questions, a spokesman told Colorado Politics.
Meanwhile,
"It's no surprise that a bill drafted in secret, without public hearings and scrutiny, and planned for a rushed vote within days, will hurt Coloradans," said Gov.
For months, health care providers have voiced deep concerns with Republican proposals to slash Medicaid coverage, and the
The
The proposal bases monthly premium tax credits on a policyholder's income, not age. And most financial assistance would shrink under a different funding formula.
It also shrinks the number of people eligible for that help.
"One of the big complaints that you hear about the Affordable Care Act is that people buy insurance but they can't use it, because the deductibles are so high and the co-insurance is so high -- it's not very valuable insurance," Hanel said. ??Well, this exacerbates that problem."
In
"The
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Gazette reporter
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